Côte d’Ivoire and the ‘third-term’ virus

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the political instability in Côte d’Ivoire leading up to the October 2020 presidential elections, specifically focusing on President Alassane Ouattara's bid for a third term and the broader trend of 'third-term' constitutional manipulations across Africa.

• President Alassane Ouattara's decision to seek a third term in the October 2020 elections has led to increased tensions, protests, and violence in Côte d’Ivoire, echoing the post-election crises of 2000 and 2010/2011.
• The ruling Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) justifies Alassane Ouattara's third-term candidacy by arguing that the constitution passed on 8 November 2016 established a Third Republic, effectively resetting the presidential term counter.
• The 'third-term virus' is identified as a systemic risk to African democratic norms, where leaders use constitutional subterfuge to avoid vacating office, as seen in the cases of Alpha Condé in Guinea and the late Pierre Nkurunziza in Burundi.
• Opposition figures including Laurent Gbagbo, Charles Blé Goudé, and Guillaume Soro have been removed from the voters roll following 20-year prison sentences handed down by Ivorian courts, preventing them from contesting the 2020 polls.
• The author argues that regional bodies like the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS should treat opportunistic constitutional amendments used to prolong mandates as unconstitutional changes of government, similar to how they treat military coups.

APA

Diatta, M. M. (2020). Côte d’Ivoire and the ‘third-term’ virus. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/cote-divoire-and-the-third-term-virus

Chicago

Diatta, Mohamed M. Côte d’Ivoire and the ‘third-term’ virus. Institute for Security Studies, 2020. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/cote-divoire-and-the-third-term-virus.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Diatta |first1=Mohamed M |title=Côte d’Ivoire and the ‘third-term’ virus |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=1 September 2020 |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/cote-divoire-and-the-third-term-virus |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{diatta2020cte, author = {Diatta, Mohamed M}, title = {{Côte d’Ivoire and the ‘third-term’ virus}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/cote-divoire-and-the-third-term-virus}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }